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1
Dry the bread slices in a low oven until firm throughout — they must yield no softness when pressed. Melt the butter in a wide pan over moderate heat and fry the dried bread on both sides until deep golden and crisp. Set aside on a rack. The bread is ready when it resists the thumb entirely and the surface is uniformly coloured.
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2
Place four deep bowls in a warm oven. Bring the consommé to a full, rolling boil — it must be at maximum temperature at the instant of service. The broth is ready when a vigorous, unbroken boil is sustained.
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3
Remove one heated bowl. Lay one fried bread crouton in the base. Scatter a portion of the grated Parmigiano directly over the bread. Crack one egg with complete care over the crouton, keeping the yolk whole — this step is where the dish lives or dies: a broken yolk renders the intended texture impossible to recover.
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4
Ladle the boiling consommé immediately and steadily over the egg from close range — do not pour from height and do not hesitate. The full thermal mass of the broth must strike the egg at once. The white is set when it turns fully opaque at the edges while the yolk remains visibly molten at the centre.
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5
Scatter a second measure of Parmigiano over the surface of the finished bowl and serve instantly. Repeat for each bowl in sequence. The dish is ready when the cheese begins to dissolve at the edges on contact with the broth.